Changeable display device



Aug. 12, 1958 1 R. BOYD 2,846,797

i CHANGEABLE DISPLAY DEVICE:

Filed March 16, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 1 T Jzo ,-22 @23 Aug. 12, 195.8

L. R. BOYD CHANGEABLE DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheebs-Sheerl 2 @NEU Filed March 1e, 1956 hmmm, @nl

United States Patent O CHANGEABLE DISPLAY DEVICE Leland R. Boyd, Cassopolis, Mich.

Application March 16, 1956, Serial No. 572,107

6 Claims. (Cl. 40-30) This invention relates. to a changeable display device adaptedV to change constantly between two positions, in each of which a diiferent part of an advertising message is displayed.

The device comprises `a movable ag or curtain that is alternately lowered to conceall the product and raised to reveal .the product. The movement of the curtain is coordinated with a changeable sign adapted to present one message when the curtain is in one position, and to present a diiferent message when the curtain is in its other position.

The curtain. and. changeable sign are both mounted on a pivoted cross .arm on opposite sides of its pivot so .that as the curtain .moves into down position, in which it conceals the advertised product, the movable sign displays a message, or a part of a message that is -continued on the exposed surface of the curtain, calling attention to some Iundesirable condition. In the drawings the changeable .sign displays the word Stop and the curtain displays .the `words That Drip. When the curtain moves up to display .the advertised product the folds conceal 'the words That Drip and the changeable sign has been changed to display the word Use. The inference is that .the vdisplayed product, in the cited example a can of paint, should be used to avoid dripping.

The changeable sign comprises a laminated disc, with half the forward lamination cut diagonally and hinged along thecut line. One section, comprising one half of theforwardlamination, is adhered to the rear lamination, and theother section is hinged to move from one side to the other. The hinge line extends at an angle of 45 to the horizontal when the cross bar is in` its horizontal position. When .the cross bar moves 45 upwardly the hinge of the .changeable sign is vertical. vA slight movement of the changeable sign beyond this-point will cause the hinged section of the front lamination to move from one `position tothe other.

An electric motor is 4provided to rot/ate ya crank arm,'

and .a link securedV at one lend to the crank Aarm is secured at Vits other end-to a pivoted lever. The opposite end of the pivoted lever is secured tothe rear side of the cross arm upon which the curtain and changeable sign are secured. As .long as the motor continues to operate the cross arm will oscillate, and the ilagl will constantly cover and -then uncover the advertised product. At the same time the laminated disc will move between one position to display the word Stop and .la second position to display the word Use It will be obvious that the display device maybe used for .other products and that the wording' on the changeable sign and on .the curtain may be designed to fit the particulary product advertised.

The structure by which the above -and other advantages of the invention vare attained will be described in the following specification., taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings .showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, vin which:V

Figure l is a front elevational view of a display device ICC 2l embodying the invention, showing the curtain in its lower position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the device with the curtain raised to show the advertised product;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the .line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig, 5 is a top plan view of the display device;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view, showing the curtain in its raised position;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View, taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational View of thel changeablesign with the hinged section extending forwardly at right angles to the rest of the disc; andl Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates. an upstanding support member which is preferably cardboard, hut may be made of any suitable material. The support member comprises an upstanding back panel 3 and a base ange 4 extending forwardly from the bottom of panel 3 at right angles thereto. Panel 3 is `provided with a cut-out 5, and a flap 6 formed from the lower portion of the cardboard within the cut-out area is folded rearwardly at right .angles to lie in the plane of flange 4.' Flap 6 cooperates with flange 4 to provide a base upon which `an article, such .as a can of paint 7, may stand. The display article is framed in cut-out 5 and .approxilmately half of it projects forwardly of rpanel 3. The cut-v out is preferably dimensionedto t around the displayed article with sutlicent clearance to facilitate insertion or removal of the displayed article and :to enhance the appearance of the displayed article. Panel .3 preferably has a suitable legend 8 printed on its front surface adjacent the cut-out.

The cardboard is vfolded forwardly at one end .of panel 3 to form a partition wall 9, outwardly to form a front wall 10, rearwardly to form an end wall .11, and inwardly to form a back wall 12' having a flap 13 overlapping .the adjacent edge of panel 3; Partition wall 9 rand end Wall 11 are parallel and extend at right angles to panel 3 and walls 10 and 12 which are parallel to each other. Base flange 4 extends forwardly from panel 3 a distance equal to the width of walls 9 and 11. 1f base flange 4 has suicient depth, cut-out 5 may be omitted, and can 7 may be displayed forwardly of panel 3. One end of flange 4 is bent upwardly to provide aap`14 engaging the inner surface of end wall 11. Flaps 13 and 14 are.

secured to panel 3 and end wall 11 in any suitable man' ner to provide stability for support member 2. The upper edge of back wall 2 is also provided with .an vintegral flap 15v which `is folded forwardly and downwardly between walls 9 and 11 to provide additional stability.

A section of back wall 12 and end wall 11 is cut away along three sides to form a vertically hinged panel 16 folded in spaced relationship to the rear surface of front wall 10 and having a flap 17 secured to partition wall 9 in any suitable manner. An electric motor 18 is suitably mounted on panel 16. Panel 16 is apertured to permit the output shaft 19 of motor 18 to project therethrough.

Front wall 10 is shaped to emphasize a particular message. In the example shown in the drawings, theV The appearance of a railroad crossing is heightened by a cross bar 26 comprising a strip of wood 27 with its front surface covered by a strip 23 of paper or paperboard decorated with wide stripes of black and white in the manner of a regular railroad crossing gate. A circular sign 29 at one end of cross bar 26 simulates the appearance of a weight on the short arm of the crossing gate when the cross bar 26 is moved pivotally in the manner hereinafter described. Preferably strip 23 is made of paperboard and circular sign 29 is integral therewith. Wood strip 27 extends across the back. of sign 29 to provide reinforcement therefor, and has two metal plates 3i) secured to the back of sign 29 adjacent opposite edges of said wood strip to provide extra weight for the short end of cross bar 26.

A lever 31, pivoted intermediate its ends to the rear of front wall 10, as indicated at 32, has one end rigidly secured to cross arm 26 and the other end pivoted to a link 33. The other end of link 33 is pivotally secured to one end of a crank arm 34 mounted on the output shaft of motor 18 and rotatable therewith. Lever 3l, link 33 and crank arm 34 are so related that lever 31, andV cross bar 26 to which lever 31 is rigidly secured, are substantially horizontal when link 33 and crank arm 34 are extended in a straight line from the output shaft f of motor 18 to the pivotal joint between lever 31 and link 33, as shown in Fig. 7. When crank arm 34- is in its diametrically opposite position, lever 31 and cross bar 26 are at their upper limit of travel. Accordingly, cross bar 26 will be moved between the lower position of Fig. f

7 and the upper position of Fig. 6 as the crank arm 34 is rotated continuously by motor 18.

Circular sign 29 comprises a circular disc 35 which is preferably integral with strip 28, and a pair of complementary disc sections 36 and 37 each comprising half a disc having arcuate edges coinciding with the peripheral edge of disk 35. Disc section 36 is rigidly secured to the front surface of disc 35 and is so arranged that its straight edge is inclined approximately 45 to the horizontal when cross bar 26 is in its horizontal position. If desired, disc section 36 may be integral with disc 35. Disc section 37 is hinged along its straight edge to the straight edge of disc section 36, as indicated at 3S, so that disc section 37 may lie hat against either disc 35 or disc section 36. The arcuate edge of disc section 37 coincides with the peripheral edge of disc 35 regardless of which way disc section 37 is swung.

Hinge 38 is inclined at an angle of approximately 45 to cross bar 26, so that when the cross bar is at an angle of 45 the hinge is vertical. If the cross bar is moved upwardly past the 45 position indicated in Fig. 8, the disc section 3'7 will swing downwardly by gravity to cover half the surface of disc 35. The other half of the surface of disc 35 is covered by disc section 36. When cross bar 26 is moved downwardly past said 45 position, disc section 37 will swing downwardly by gravity to cover the exposed surface of disc section 36. From the foregoing it will be obvious that when cross bar 26 is'horizontal, the front surface of half of disc 35 cooperates with the exposed surface of disc section 37 to present a certain message, such as the word Stop, half of which is lettered on disc 35, and half of which is lettered on one surface of disc section 37.

The opposite surface of disc section 37 cooperates with the exposed surface of disc section 36 to present the word Use. The lettering for the word Use extends at right angles to the lettering for the word Stop so that whichever word is exposed it will appear in a horizontal line. When the word stop is exposed, cross bar 26 extends horizontally and a flag or curtain 39, which depends from the cross arm 26, conceals the can 7 of paint or other merchandise. A message complementary to the word Stop such as That Drip is lettered on the front of curtain 39, as indicated at 40, so that the complete message striking the attention of the viewer 4 is Stop That Drip. When the curtain is raised the sign 29 displays the word Use and the legend 8 is also visible, along with the advertised merchandise.

As motor 18 oscillates cross bar 26 through the arc from its lower horizontal position to its upper position the display alternately exposes the message Stop That Drip and Use John Doe Paint Doesnt Drip. The sign 29 changes by gravity from Stop to Use, and When the word Use is exposed the can 7 is also exposed. The continuous changing of sign 29 in coordination with the changing of position of the moving members 26 and 39, together with the change of context bctween the Stop and Use expressions, creates considerable interest in the display, and effectively presents the advertising message to the viewing public.

It will be obvious that the specic wording of legends 8 and 4i?, as well as the specific wording of changeable sign 29, may be changed to appropriate language for advertising diiferent products. For example, sign 29 may aiternately display the words Stop and Go to advertise a particular store. If the merchandise is cough medicine, the curtain may contain the legend That Cough so that in the horizontal position of the cross bar the complete message would read Stop That Cough. In the up position of the cross bar the message could read Go to Smiths Drug Store for Coughskill.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modied or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desired to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

l. A changeable display device comprising a support member adapted to support an article to be displayed, said support member including an upright front wall, a cross bar pivotally secured adjacent one end to said front wall, a changeable sign at said one end of said cross bar, and means for oscillating said cross bar, said sign having means incorporated therein for changing the legend exposed thereon in coordination with the change of position of said cross bar.

2. A changeable display device comprising a support member adapted to hold an article to be displayed, said support member including an upright front wall, a cross bar pivotally secured to said front wall, a changeable sign at one end of said cross bar, a curtain depending from said cross bar, and means for oscillating said cross bar, said curtain being adapted to alternately conceal and expose an article held by said support member, said sign having a section movable to change the legend exposed thereon in coordination with the exposure or concealment of said article.

3. A changeable display device comprising a support member adapted to hold an article to be displayed, said support member including an upright front wall, a cross bar pivoted intermediate its length to said front wall, a changeable sign secured to said cross bar on one side of said pivot, a curtain secured to said cross bar on the opposite side of said pivot, and an electric motor mounted on said support member for oscillating said cross bar, said curtain being adapted to alternately conceal and expose an article held by said support member, said sign including a section adapted to change the legend exposed thereon in coordination with the change of position of said cross bar.

4. A changeable display device comprising a support member adapted to hold an article to be displayed, said support member including an upright front wall, a cross bar pivotally secured to said front wall, a curtain and a changeable sign secured to said cross bar, and an electric motor mounted on said support member for oscillating said cross bar, said sign comprising a rigid disc and a disc section hinged thereto, said disc section being movable about its hinge by gravity in accordance with the position of said disc, said disc section cooperating with one portion of said disc in one position thereof to display one legend, and cooperating with another portion of said disc in another position thereof to display a dierent legend, said curtain being adapted to expose an article held by said support member when said disc is in one position and to conceal it when said disc is in a different position.

5. A display device comprising a paperboard sheet cut and folded to form a set-up support member having an upstanding back panel, a base flange extending forwardly from said panel, and a front Wall, said ange being adapted to hold an article to be displayed, said panel being decorated to enhance the appearance of an article supported on said flange, a cross bar pivoted to said front wall, a curtain depending from said cross bar on one side of its pivot, means for oscillating said cross bar to raise and lower said curtain to expose and conceal an article supported on said flange, a disc on said cross bar on the opposite side of its pivot, and a disc section hinged to said disc, said hinge extending angularly with respect to said cross bar, whereby said disc section swings from one portion of said disc to another as said cross bar is oscillated.

6. A display device comprising a paperboard sheet cut and folded to form a set-up support member having an upstanding back panel, a base flange extending forwardly from said panel, and a front wall, said flange being adapted to hold an article to be displayed, said panel being decorated to enhance the appearance of an article supported on said ange, a cross bar pivoted to said front wall, a curtain depending from said cross bar on one side of its pivot, means for oscillating said cross bar to raise and lower said curtain to expose and conceal an article supported on said flange, a disc on said cross bar on the opposite side of its pivot, and a disc section hinged to said disc, said hinge extending at an angle of approximately to the longitudinal center line of said cross bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 470,034 Belknap Mar. 1, 1892 1,389,551 Hennegan Aug. 30, 1921 2,045,864 Miller June 30, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,082 Denmark Sept.29, 1919 147,246 Austria Oct. 10, 1936 490,484 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1938 500,035 Germany June 16, 1930 

